Los Illuminados
Los Iluminados (from Spanish, meaning "The Enlightened") is a religious and militant organisation based in an isolated, mountainous region of Spain. The group claims heritage to an ancient pagan religion in the area that was wiped out in a Crusade led by the First Castellan. Both religions are centred around the Plaga parasites, which are seen to hold some divine significance. History Early history Los Iluminados existed in Europe in ancient times, and may have been connected with the island culture, given their cave art could be found on the same island as this people's ruins. During the Spanish Inquisition, the first Castellan of the region, in fierce opposition to the religion's teachings, launched a violent repression on its activities, seemingly eliminating them.Hamamura (ed). Kaitaishinsho. p.14''Excerpt from biohazard4 kaitaishinsho revised edition, page 014'': "アシュリーが監禁れていたヨーロッパのとある村にて、 古くから活動してきた独自の宗教団体——それがロス・イルミナドス教団である。「教え導く者たち」の名を取る同教団は、 古来、 特殊な方法を用いることにより、 信者を増やしてきたが、 信心以前に教祖が信者を身も心も完全に支配する……という特異性ゆえか、 初代領主から激しい弾圧を受けて衰退。しかし、 現領主ラモンが信徒となり全面的に協力をはじめてからは、 教団の力は村全体に広まり、 いまや村人全員が信徒となった。現教祖サドラーは全世界にその力を浸透させんとの危険思想を抱いており、 アシュリー誘拐事件への関与もおおいに疑われる。" Reemergence When the castle was under the rule of the 8th Castellan, Los Iluminados - now being led by Osmund Saddler - was allowed to mine the area. Salazar felt that he should atone for the sins of his ancestors, who sealed the Plagas away from humanity.Resident Evil 4 (2005), file: "Castellan Memo" Eventually, Saddler was successful in occupying the castle and using said castle as a base for his cult. When Ramon Salazar released the Plagas seal no one thought they could bring them back to life. However, Plaga remains were found to be fossilized. Although they appeared fossilized, they were able to survive the long years by lying in a dormant state at the cellular level remaining in a spore-like form. These were found to be what first infected the miners, becoming full-fledged Plagas after many years of development. Likely using these first Plagas, Saddler perfected the ability to reproduce the organism and took to implanting Plaga eggs into new hosts. The cult's followers were soon implanted with Plagas along with much of the local population who had joined the cult. Saddler himself was implanted with a Dominant Species Plaga and as such has direct control over the others, using lieutenants with similarly augmented Plagas to monitor and direct the Ganados on the ground. The villagers then returned to life as normal as they could, farming, attending cult services at the local church, acting as guards for Salazar's castle or working the mines while the cult zealots engaged in dark rituals and sacrifices in the name of Saddler. The plan Some time before Autumn 2004, American agent Jack Krauser, while secretly working for Albert Wesker, arrived at the village in search of the parasite. He was later used to kidnap Ashley Graham, daughter of U.S. President Graham, as part of an Iluminados plot to do no less than take over the entire world by infecting Ashley and returning her to her father in order to influence the United States' executive branch. Saddler noted, however, that in order to take over the US, the parasites would need to spread to those with influence over the President's decisions - Congress; the Department of Justice; military government agencies and large private companies.biohazard4 (2005), file: "The goal of the cult"Hamamura (ed.),kaitaishinsho, p.449 Plan B was to use Saddler's paramilitary militia to infiltrate the United States and sow discord from within, likely gaining converts to Los Iluminados as they went. Ada Wong, an agent for "the 3rd Organization" and subordinate to Wesker, destabilized "Plan B" when she sank the militia's warship docked within the island.Resident Evil 4 (2005), level: "Separate Ways" Chapter 3 Alliance with Glenn Arias Years later, the remnants of Los Iluminados allied themselves with arms dealer, Glenn Arias, to plan a massive terror attack in New York. The attack was successful though the surviving victims were cured when Arias was killed by Chris Redfield. Cultural practices Followers of Los Iluminados regularly congregated in dedicated places of worship. Several are known to have existed in the area. In the village, an existing chapel was converted for rituals, and the ringing of its bells was a symbolic call to worship. A cave on the other side of the quarry was also used, though for human sacrifice. The cult also operated a monastic order, based within the castle. Monks, dubbed "Cultists", were clothed in black, purple and red robes identifying rank, with some wearing metal masks, or masks made from goat skulls. Among these Ganados, ritualistic tattooing was common, though their heads were normally concealed. The monks are known to have been all bald and of pale skin, but how much is to do with the parasites is uncertain. These monks also held their own rituals, and would pray before a blood-stained knife with the cultic symbol decorated on the hilt. Militant organisation Los Iluminados controlled a dedicated paramilitary group, known merely as "combatants". These individuals were stationed on the island and served as a stronger layer of protection for the group's bio-weapons research. The militant group was crippled by the actions of Ada Wong and Leon S. Kennedy. Gallery Los_Illuminados_Insignia_-_Normal.png|Los Illuminados - Normal Insignia Resident Evil 4 Digital Archives Resident_Evil_4_Digital_Archives_-_Los_Illuminados_Insignia_-_P.75.png|Insignia variations. Bibliography * *''Biohazard 4 Incubate'' Sources ;notes ;references Category:Resident Evil Category:Organizations in video games Category:Fictional religions Category:Fictional cults Category:Fictional terrorist organizations